Reviews and product information will point you to quality outdoor footwear, but ultimately the most important aspect is a good fit. Here are some tips to help you properly fit hiking and backpacking boots:

Try on boots at the end of the day, when your feet are their largest.

Wear the socks and any insoles or inserts you would normally use with the boots.

One of your feet is probably larger than the other. Size boots to the larger foot. Better to have one shoe a little loose than the other too tight.

Walk around in the boots for at least 15 minutes.

Toes should have a little room to wiggle, and shouldn't jam into the toe box.

Heels should feel firmly in place with no heel slippage.

Walk up and down an incline to check for heel slippage on the uphill and any toe jamming on the downhill.

Try different styles and widths. You may be a different size in different brands.

Women typically should consider footwear that's built on a women's last, instead of models sized down from a men's last (but everyone is different, buy the shoes that fit you).

Boots should feel like they fit initially. Don't rely on breaking them in to make them fit. If they don't fit now, they won't stretch to fit later.

While you want to pick a boot that fits from the start, you can tweak boots with custom orthotics and insoles (to fill up extra space), professional stretching of the boot (to add space), and different lacing techniques (to reduce foot movement).

No matter how well they fit, don't forget to break in your boots around the house or on some easy day hikes before you embark on that weeklong backpacking trip.

Recent Footwear Product Reviews

Herman Men's Survivor

DO NOT, DO NOT con yourself into buying Herman Survivors steel toe work boots. The limited warranty is only 90 days and the boots just make it past warranty to scam you. I was very skeptical purchasing this steel-toe boot. But, I conned myself into it. I liked the tough-looking thick soles, so like a sucker I bought them. However, just 115 days down the road and after working in them, I noticed the leather already appeared somewhat deteriorated. I looked very closely at the boots and noticed how… Full review

Danner Combat Hiker Gore-Tex

All-American boot. At the time of purchase I was worried by the reviews stating that the Crater Rim/CH's were narrow, but still went with my normal 8.5R. I always wear a 8.5D in my Asics. I'm glad I went with the 8.5R because they fit perfectly and I don't consider my feet particularly narrow. My feet measure 3 and 1/2" at the widest and 10 and 1/4" lengthwise. Hope my measurements help because they would have helped me decide. The boots are a bit stiff, but any good boot is and I feel like they… Full review

Esatto Men's Classic Hiker

They fit your feet and are well constructed. There is no slop so you don't build up callouses anywhere on your feet and the shoes/boots last forever. Money well spent. I have been whitewater rafting for over twenty years and for as equally long been searching for a good river sandal. From the commercial industry there is no such thing available. I have tried them all. Problems range from being too slippery and filling with sand the moment you step on shore; to the straps going completely slack the… Full review

Five Ten Men's Camp Four

These are my go-to shoes for day hikes. I've done 1 or 2 light overnights (15-20lbs) in these when I knew it'd be dry and I would appreciate the traction due to rocky terrain. I have pretty average feet, so I'm not sure if that's why I didn't have the sizing problems the other reviewers had or not. These shoes were comfy out of the box with all the sock options I threw at them. These shoes were also very comfortable during hot Joshua Tree summer days. They vented heat really well but you sacrifice… Full review

Five Ten Men's Exum Guide

Great boot that fills the gap between Burly Backpacking Tank and Wispy Barely there Trailrunner. I'm going to get this out of the way first since it's ultimately not very important. My pair is a light gray, almost white color. The first time I wore them on a hike (16 miles up Icebox Canyon in the summer so lots of dust) they looked beat all to heck. This in no way effected their performance but it looked like they were old and beat up. I've worn them for a little bit of everything, backpacking… Full review

Scarpa Kinesis Pro GTX

Ultimate heavy-duty backpacking boot — long distance, heavy loads — incredible support, comfort, and durability. I bought these to replace my worn-out Scarpa Barun GTXs (got several years out of them). I may have the fortune to find that the Scarpa foot-last fits my foot perfectly. These boots fit true to size. What can I say? Incredible comfort, support, and performance. These are well-made, well designed, heavy-duty backpacking boots. Designed for multi-day, long distance hiking/backpacking… Full review

Brooks Men's Cascadia 9

This may be the most comfortable shoe I've ever owned. Great for training, early morning walks, and light day hiking. My feet are notoriously difficult to fit. I have long toes... wide fore-feet (bunions)... narrow heel... no arches... and size 14. These all combine to make shoe purchasing a chore every time. With the Cascadias, I have found the holy grail of training shoes for my feet. Fit is excellent, with lots of room for my toes and bunions, without having my feet slip around in the shoe. Break-in… Full review